CSU Athletics

Dorian Green is CSU Rams' go-to guy

Dorian Green, center, had an opportunity to be a walk-on with the Kansas Jayhawks in his hometown, but he's happy to play a big role for CSU. (Karl Gehring, The Denver Post)

FORT COLLINS — There is a standard reaction when Colorado State guard Dorian Green tells someone he is from Lawrence, Kan., a town that needs no geographical explanation to basketball fans.

"The first reaction is, 'Why didn't you go to KU?' " Green said, laughing. "So that's what I always get. But I'm glad I didn't go to KU, personally. I love Fort Collins and Colorado State. I wouldn't trade it for anything. "

After turning down Kansas' offer to be a preferred walk-on, Green arrived at CSU as a quiet freshman trying to learn his way around. Now a senior, Green is the undisputed leader of the 22nd-ranked Rams. On a veteran team that doesn't lack for talkers, Green's voice has stood out as the most prominent this season.

"He's unshakable," said CSU forward Greg Smith. "He's been through it all. Having a point guard like that is a tremendous asset. A lot of teams don't have that, and they kind of waver from game to game. Since we have that steady hand at the point guard, we're there every night competing to get a win."

Green's statistics don't jump off the page, even though he ranks second among the Rams in scoring (averaging 12.9 points), is the leader in assists (4.2) and ranks second in steals.

Green is "our go-to guy late in games," said teammate Wes Eikmeier, another senior guard.

Green's leadership also is valuable to the Rams, who are contending for the school's first Mountain West regular-season championship. He played a key role last year when the Rams received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.

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"Last year, I was a lot more vocal than I was the first two years," Green said. "I wanted to continue that this year. Coach tells me to be more vocal and to talk and encourage my teammates. And, as seniors, we talk about holding each other accountable."

Exhibit A was a botched defensive play late in a Feb. 13 game against San Diego State that gave the Aztecs free throws. That mistake resulted in Green calling a quick huddle to chew out his teammates.

"I notice that he'll say some harsh stuff at times in the huddles," said first-year CSU coach Larry Eustachy. "And I think it's great."

Green shrugs his shoulders and smiles.

"It's nothing personal," Green said. "We want to win, that's what it comes down to. Whatever gives us the best chance to win, I'll do. When I see something, most of the time I feel like I see it right and the way Coach wants it to be done. So I'll say something to point it out to other people and to reassure it to myself."

Green's scoring is down slightly from last season, but his all-around game has skyrocketed. His playmaking is better. His assists (109) are up and his turnovers (49) are down.

"It's gone pretty well," Green said. "The coaches have gotten me to play the best all-around game I ever have."

That entails playing harder than he ever knew he could. Green thought he was playing hard last season for coach Tim Miles, who's now at Nebraska. Eustachy showed him that he had more to give.

"It was a tremendous gap," Green said. "Just seeing the game differently and realizing that I was playing hard, but I really wasn't playing as hard as I can, and impacting the game in as many ways as I can. It's really just been Coach being on me. He always says, 'Try to find another gear.' And realizing that I had one."

Green and the Rams (21-5, 8-3) have a Mountain West showdown game Saturday against No. 16 New Mexico (22-4, 9-2) at sold-out Moby Arena.

CSU can move into a tie with the Lobos for first place in the Mountain West by beating them.

Mr. Clutch A look at some of Dorian Green's big moments this season that have helped CSU build a 21-5 record:

Vs. UNLV: Scored a game-high 24 points and was 8-for-8 at the free-throw line, including two free throws with 22 seconds left to seal a home victory.

Vs. San Diego State: Scored six of CSU's final eight points, including a three-point play with 18 seconds left in a victory over the then-No. 22 Aztecs.

Vs. Air Force: Scored 12 of his 22 points in the second half last week in a key win at Air Force. CSU became the first visiting team to win at Clune Arena this year.Christopher Dempsey, The Denver Post

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